Book review: The Lesson by Eugene Ionesco

Book review of The Lesson by Eugene Ionesco

This is actually a review of the script for a play. The play is a part of my reading challenge, where I read a play a week. My goal is to read 52 plays in a year and you can follow my progress right here and maybe even start your own!

Find plays by Ionesco right here on Amazon [affiliate links]

The Lesson by Eugene Ionesco

The Lesson is a short play by Eugene Ionesco. It was a quick read and somewhat entertaining.

Basically, there is a professor and his maid, who are expecting a new student. The new student arrives for her lesson and things kind of spiral out of control for the professor. Apparently that’s normal, for the household as the maid is trying to warn him to behave and calm himself. Alas, to no use and the student doesn’t stay long. (No spoilers).

The play ends with a new student knocking on the door, and the maid answering. It’s very full circle in that way

What’s the script like?

I didn’t actually like it that much, it progressed okay but it felt a bit too nonsensical and didn’t really offer me any ideas. I didn’t get much out of reading it, other than checking it off my list. Now at least I can say that I’ve read it.

I think the dystopia and/or everyday-loonatic professor was just kind of lost on me. I’ve seen better short animation films on youtube, with the same sort of circular dramaturgy, that I’d rather recommend you. But maybe The Lesson by Eugene Ionesco was groundbreaking in its own time?

Do you ever read scripts or nonfiction books? Let me know in the comments below!

If you want to read more book reviews, you can see my entire collection of online book reviews right here>>. I also have a list just for performing arts books here>>.

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